Around P160 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized during a joint operation of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Navy off the waters of Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday, Aug. 23.

BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio said the operation stemmed from the report they received about a motor boat that would sneak cigarettes into the country through the southern backdoor of the country.

A total of 2,798 master cases of illegally imported branded cigarettes worth P160 million aboard M/B INDAH NADZ were intercepted in Tawi-Tawi by the Philippine Navy through intelligence report from the Bureau of Customs Intelligence Group (BOC-IG). (photo: BOC) 

The country’s boundaries in Mindanao have been a challenging area for the government's security forces due to porous borders that made it a favorite route of smugglers and human traffickers.

During the operation, the BOC’s Intelligence Group (IG) and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) joined forces with the personnel of the Navy’s PC390 in intercepting the motor boat in the vicinity of the Baturapac Island.

“The team intercepted and inspected the said vessel loaded with master cases of assorted brands of smuggled cigarettes after receiving information from our IG and CIIS Zamboanga,” said Rubio.

During the inspection of the M/B INDAH NADZ, Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy said his men found 2,798 master cases of Oakley Original cigarettes.                    

He said the motor boat was placed under their custody along with the 12 crewmen who failed to show documents on the cigarettes they were transporting. 

“The total value of the illegally imported cigarettes is about P160,325,400 based on the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s regulation of  P57,300 per master case,” said Uy, adding that the motor boat, valued P3 million, was also included in the inventory. 

CIIS Director Verne Enciso said the team that inspected the boat did not originally expect to see smuggled cigarettes since the information it received was that it contained smuggled fuel. 

“But this was not the case because it became immediately clear to our agents that the boat was carrying what could be smuggled cigarettes if the owner failed to present the proper documents,” said Enciso. 

“When we verified the information about this, we immediately coordinated with the Philippine Navy for sea operations. They were on a Marpat enroute patrol to Tandubas Island, which was near where the motor boat was eventually apprehended,” he added.

The CIIS-Field Station in Zamboanga coordinated with BOC Tawi-Tawi personnel and the Office of the District Collector to guard the vessel until the official inventory began. The vessel was later escorted by the Navy and elements of PC390 to Bongao Pier.

Rubio, for his part, lauded the IG and the CIIS for the swift action on the reports they received which resulted in the successful conduct of the anti-smuggling operation. 

The seizure of the illicit imported cigarettes came in the wake of President Marcos’ uncompromising warning against smugglers and hoarders of agricultural products during his 2^nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24 that “the smugglers' days are numbered.”

The President called on the entire government force to go after the smugglers and put them behind bars whose “insatiable greed” and “intricate schemes” are causing farmers and consumers to suffer.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture, has proposed a measure to include tobacco among the agricultural products covered by the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act and carry a heftier penalty of economic sabotage, and the creation of an anti-agricultural smuggling court.

Citing the contributions of the tobacco industry in the Philippine economy during the International Tobacco Agricultural Summit on August 3 at the Shangri-law in BGC, Taguig City, she committed to shepherd the passage of the amendment bill.

A similar measure has been approved by the House of Representatives principally authored by Senior Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos and PBA Party-list Rep. Margarita Ignacia Nograles.

In a report to BOC District Commander SP/Major Ernesto T. Pracale Jr. of the Enforcement and Security Service – Customs Police Division, the PN Combat Force said the team was enroute from Lamon Wharf in Bongao to Tandabas Island when they spotted M/B Ndah Nadz at 1.22am of August 23. Upon boarding and inspection of the questionable vessel, this was loaded with a still undetermined number of undocumented tobacco products when the 12-member crew failed to present the required documents.

Engr. Arthur Sevilla Jr., BOC District Collector of the Port of Zamboanga, said “ the customs bureau should be on top of everything, because we are the lead agency.”

The government forces  said the seizure of the illicit cigarettes was in violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

In February and March, joint customs and navy forces seized a total of 28,500 master cases of smuggled cigarettes in two separate occasions in Sulu. The March 2 operation yielded 19,000 master cases or 9.5 million packs, which is so far the biggest haul in a single enforcement under the Marcos’ administration

Seized during this enforcement were assorted illegal imported brands of cigarettes such as B&E Ice menthol, Souvenir menthol, New Far menthol, Cannon menthol, BroadPeak Black menthol and Bravo which translates to P7.6 billion in potential tax losses in excise, value added and penalties.